Is The Monsanto “Round Up” Weed Killer Harmful?
High hopes followed the “Round Up” Berner cookies cannabis killer by Monsanto. Nevertheless a series of information requests revealed that the chemical was actually not safe. It did not contribute to the development of biodiversity, and in some instances it took back the cause. This article will explore these findings further and take a closer assessment of the different ingredients and the alleged harmful effects that are attached to it. The cause of the “Round Up” weed killer is not helped by the reluctance of the authorities to provide accurate information.
Many people already mistrust government agencies and their resistance is naturally interpreted to imply that there is something wrong with the chemicals that are being offered. This is a public health issue that deserves the fullest attention from the authorities in terms of keeping the users informed about new developments. Instead the governments have perfected the art of concealment. The same tactics ruined lives during the “mad cow disease” episode.
Glyphosate And The “Round Up” Weed Killer
Glyphosate is the active ingredient that is designed to be particularly conducive for genetically modified crops. It is said that about 75% of GM crops are designed to tolerate the active ingredient Glyphosate. It appears that human placental cells are sensitive to high concentrations of this substance. Professor Gilles-Eric Serallini at the University of Caen in France found that the trends seem to suggest that the use of this active ingredient might actually affect the growth of the placenta.
Quite alarmingly an epidemiological study using the Ontario farming communities discovered that the use of Glyphosate doubled the risk of spontaneous abortions. Studies continued to indicate that the ingredient could kill placental cells within eighteen hours of exposure. In fact the study group had displayed an increased rate of premature births and miscarriages. Such a trend would be worrisome for any farmers that intend to incorporate the “Round Up” weed killer within their GM crops. It indicates that there is a serious threat to human lives at different stages of development.
Even more concerning was the finding that the additives within the “Round Up” weed killer served the purpose of increasing the harmful effects of Glyphosate on placental cells. Thus in effect the finished weed killer was more harmful than its active ingredients on their own. The adjuvants were the facilitators for the disastrous effects by the active ingredient.
Polyethoxylated Tallowamine And The “Round Up” Weed Killer
This is a surfactant or detergent agent that enables the chemical to be used as droplets. As part of the “Round Up” weed killer, it is a necessary conduit for some of the harmful effects that have been identified. Rick Relyea (a biologist of some repute) found that the weed killer was very harmful to amphibians. These are a non-target organism which means that the weed killer is not supposed to destroy them. The study showed that the use of “Round Up” weed killer would lead to a 70% reduction in amphibian biodiversity as well as an 86% reduction in the number of tadpoles.
The study further showed that leopard frog tadpoles as well as gray tree frog tadpoles were eliminated. However spring peepers did not seem to be affected. These are very troubling trends because GM crops were not supposed to harm the environment. However if the chemicals that are used to protect GM crops are harmful to the environment, then the whole purpose of the experiment is defeated. That is a situation that is not tolerable. It also raises concerns about the integrity of the people who have been pushing the theory that GM crops are safe for the environment. It erodes public trust in all the announcements that are made about this sensitive subject.
Cancer And The “Round Up” Weed Killer
There was a study in 2002 which indicated that “Round Up” weed killer was associated with one of the crucial cellular division stages that led to cancerous growths. Evidence seems to suggest that the active ingredient Glyphosate is responsible for inhibiting RNA transcription in animals which led to delayed embryonic development. This was made worse by exposure to the surfactant known as polyethoxylated tallowamine. This is not an aid to functionality but it has been found to be an active ingredient that can actually increase the rate of harm to the users.
The weed killer has been associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as multiple myeloma. This ended up reducing DNA effectiveness as well as suppressing the immune system. These are serious diseases that require extensive clinical intervention. If the weed killer was encouraging them then that would be a very unfortunate side effect. It would also mean that there would be strains on the National Health Service. All the benefits from GM crops would be wasted on treating diseases that could have been prevented.